Chapter 151 - Death

Ishit didn't have to listen to Karuvaki's annoying chatter too long, for His match with Layla Redwood was the opening match of the day. 

It was the fourth day, but the audience was as excited as ever. The whole auditorium was bustling and buzzing when Ishit entered the arena. 

"Layla," Karuvaki had told him on t

heir way from the castle to here, "is the youngest daughter of  Edward, the duke of Redwood city. Edward is a cousin of the lord of Ok

ala. The girl has been tutored at home like other OKalaian royals by Bushar, the one-eyed. Multiple academies wanted to recruit her, but she rejected them outright for the Royal academy. However, despite all the efforts of the duke, her father, the golden hawk from Atlantia didn't come for her. Leaving no choice for Layla but to participate in Inna's feast.  As for why she was confident enough to wait for the King's school, you have to see her attainments. She was awakened at the age of three, two years earlier than a normal awakening. She mastered all the spirit diagrams within three years of span. At the age of six, she was sent to Nemora, the Okalian capital, to get tutelage from Bushar.  She outshone all royal there and became the second favorite student of the one-eyed. And let me tell you it is not easy to win Bushar's praise." 

Ishit had heard of Bushar from his father. The man was a war veteran like Lemora of Sursena. He had taught at the Royal Academy. They said the one-eyed's charms (spells to enchant inanimate objects) had no parallel. During the war with Moriyans, the old man had charmed the whole mountain, sending it rolling and crushing the defilers.

Though Ishit pretended he didn't care about the information Karuvaki was giving him, he couldn't help but feel a little deterred. 

"You'd better quit while you still can," Layla, who was standing before Ishit, said with a serious face, "I'll not show you any mercy as Al Drum saw yesterday. By the way, what did your father offer to the beast boy for letting you win? " 

Ishit couldn't help but notice the likeness between her and his cousin. Both the girls knew how to get under his skin. As for the girl's question, she was not alone. After the clever escape of the dragon boy, many in the city were having the same thoughts. Ishit was sure it must have been fueled by his father's rivals. 

"Nothing but a warning if he didn't let me win I would mince him into the meat paste. And you know no one, not even a dragon, likes to be turned into pulp. So the boy saw wisdom and let me win. " replied Ishit in a mellow tone. 

"You've really got a sharp tongue," Layla said. " Pray, you have the same wisdom as Al-Drum had, for I will truly turn you into a squashed  tomato." 

A cruel glint flashed into her bright eyes. 

Ishit didn't take the jibe. He knew better to lose his temper before the duel. Instead, he formulated a plan in his mind. He had seen Layla's fight yesterday. She had mastered an apprentice-level art, called avahanam. With this spirit skill, she could summon elemental beasts. Tatvajivi was another name of these magical beings composed of pure elements. 

One could understand them as puppets composed of various elements like fire, lightning, water, ether, earth, metal, etc. These beasts

were hard to kill as they could absorb attacks and assimilate their elemental power. 

Of course, not anyone can summon them, for it need a powerful spiritual sense like a spiritualist. 

"DING! " the gong rang out all of sudden commencing the match. 

Layla and Ishit both moved simultaneously. The boisterous crowd fell silent. 

Yesterday while Ishit's match had been interrupted in the middle, Layla had demonstrated her prowess fully.  So the audience was expecting a good duel, which would get their adrenaline going. 

Though Ishit had many things going on in his life, he didn't slacken his training a bit.  In his new memories, he had found a new way to sleep called yoga Nidra. Onish, the mysterious boy from the earth, had learned this practice from his guru. 

The dream yoga allowed his exhausted mind and body to refreshen within a pahar. 

Ishit used the rest night practicing his spirit arts. After his visit to Drona's arsenal, he had realized something had changed in him. His spirit sense had shot up to another level and his speed to absorb spirit had also improved significantly. 

With his improved concentration and soul strength, his insight into natural forces had deepened. 

****

Being raised with the royal children, the rivalry between her lord uncle Amarto and Lord Oman was well known to Layla. Lady Padma's elopement with Oman was a disgrace to him. 

Though nobody dared to mock him in public, they giggled behind his back even to this day. 

What sort of lord he was! He couldn't even guard his promised bride. 

Though Layla was not from the direct lineage, she did get the same treatment and respect in Nemora. So according to her, it was her obligation to get back the lost honor. Of course, she couldn't challenge Lord Oman, who had single-handedly defeated the gathering of a dozen or so princes in Kalinga and escaped with his love. If rumor to be believed Oman was the second strongest Maharathi in the entire Varta after his majesty Aslan. They said he alone had slain the entire army of Moryians. 

So Layla couldn't even think of ever defeating such a man. However, threshing his son before the entire world could do the job. 

That was why when Layla saw Ishit's name on her token this morning, she couldn't help but feel excited. Great Himavat (Okalian God) had finally given her a chance to do something for her lord uncle.

She would humiliate his rival's son, making sure the boy never forgot the hellish experience. It would hunt him throughout his life. 

As soon as the gong rang out, Layla attacked Ishit with lightning speed, the speed that had earned her the title "Tigress of Okala". 

Her sword crying with pleasure. It clashed with Ishit's Kalnemi. The clash sent sparks and bolts of lightning crackling in the air. 

Just in one exchange, Layla realized her opponent was not a rookie. Rumors flying in the city had some weight in them. However, it only made her more excited. 

She switched her move, and let Ishit come for her.  Within a few seconds, they exchanged a dozen of moves. But none was able to get the upper hand. The crowd praised them for their swordsmanship. In the arena, they seemed to perform a marvelous show. 

Sometimes, they would fly in the air while entangled, and sometimes they would push each other back while their feet dancing on the ground. The different elemental powers danced around them as their swords played a song of clangs. T

"Who taught you the art of gladiators?"  Layla asked, marveling at Ishit's mastery of the sword. Were the rumors correct? She couldn't help but feel apprehensive about what she had learned from magsmen. 

"Raksha, the chief commander of Nyx," replied Ishit as he stepped back to evade the strike. 

Layla didn't refute him.  Instead, she too stepped back, leaving the lead she got by pushing Ishit back. 

There was something wrong with the boy's sword.  At first, Layla had thought it was just an illusion. However, after exchanging almost two hundred moves, she was certain Ishit's Astra was stealing her power, bit by bit. 

The discovery shocked her. 

However, Layla didn't show any emotion on her charming face. Her small eyes fixed at Ishit face, as she let out her powerful spiritual sense. Her blazing sword moved to form a strange sign in the air.

The crowd let out a loud gasp as four elemental beasts appeared in the arena, circling Ishit. Blazing salamander made of pure fire essence lash out its nearly ten-meter long tongue. Ishit's face turned sullen watching tatvajivis. Though he had information about them in his mind, it was the first time he was facing them in real combat. 

He didn't dare take the frighting tongue head-on. He hurridly wove a shield and flew up. However, there was something more sinister waiting for him in the air. 

It was an ether beast, invisible to eyes, even to spiritual sense. So there were five tatvajivis. Ishit hadn't envisioned the girl's spiritual sense to be so strong as she could summon an ether beast. 

Caught off guard by Layla, he couldn't but curse.

The ether beasts were also known as Chhaya jiv ( shadow beast). They could hide anywhere around a spirit Weider. Though their prowess was not very fatal, they could disband the opponent's shield in a blink. 

As soon as Ishit touched the spirit beast, his shield vanished like a soap bubble, leaving him unguarded for the coming fiery tongue looking like a fine blazing thread.